Framed and Punished
by peppe1951
Summary: Summary: Peter is out of town for a few days and Neal is put in the custody of Reece Hughes…and when evidence points to Neal Hughes takes over. Warning: The story contains non-consent punishing of an adult; if you don't like, don't read.
1. Chapter 1

**Framed and Punished**

By peppe1951

**Summary**: Peter is out of town for a few days and Neal is put in the custody of Reece Hughes…and when evidence points to Neal Hughes takes over. **Warning:** The story contains non-consent punishing of an adult; if you don't like, don't read.

**Disclaimer**: White Collar belongs to USA; I only write about it.

This is an AU story where corporal punishment is an allowed manner of punishment for CIs.

**Chapter 1**

"Now I'm only going to be gone for a week; surely you can stay out of trouble that long," Peter asked Neal as he was putting files into a briefcase. A case of Peer's had finally made it to court and he was required to be there. The original crime had begun down south with it ending up in New York City where Peter had solved it.

"Peter, I'll be fine," assured his CI and friend, Neal Caffrey, "what could go wrong?"

"That's not reassuring Neal," replied Peter, "with you it seems that trouble always tends to end up at your door. Oh, and before I forget it while I'm gone you will answer to Hughes for any inconsistencies you might find yourself in, so I would watch yourself; you do remember that Hughes has a heavy hand when dishing out licks."

"I'm not likely to forget that Peter and I will be on my best behavior," Neal assured the older agent.

"Well, here is my own incentive for your good behavior. If you stay out of trouble El and I will accompany you to the Broadway Musical of your choice on my return but if you aren't you can expect double what Hughes gives you," Peter promised sternly.

Neal grimaced at the later but brightened with the promise of attending a museum of his choice, "then be prepared to go to the Theatre Peter; I haven't been to one for a long time."

Before Peter had time to remark his boss, Reece Hughes entered and asked, "Are you ready?"

"Yes, sir, just reminding Neal to be on his best behavior while gathering all of my files," replied Peter.

Hughes looked over at Neal a moment before saying gruffly, "You step one foot over the line while you are in my charge and I won't hesitate to take you to the back interrogation room and wear your butt out…are we clear?"

"Yes, sir. I won't do anything to cause you to punish me," Neal assured the lead agent.

"Make sure that you don't and until Burke returns you will be working on cold cases," he ordered as Neal nodded and returned to his desk.

"Sir, about Neal…"

"Don't worry Burke, I'll take good care of your boy; you just go and testify so we will have one more criminal off the streets," Hughes said with a smirk.

It had only been a couple of hour after Peter had left and Neal was bored. He hated cold cases as much as he did mortgage fraud cases. He looked up from the one he was reading when he noticed Agent Fuchs enter with someone following at his heels and recognized the gestures the second man was exhibiting…this was a recent released con and wondered what was up.

"Jones, who is he?" Neal asked the agent in a low voice.

"Oh, that is out new CI, Thomas Jenkins; he's a white collar criminal like yourself. He's going to have Agent Fuchs as his handler," Jones replied as he returned to cold case files.

Agent Fuchs and he didn't get along and if he had his way Neal would have a constant sore backside. It all started when Neal used his name as part of a joke and had called him Agent Fucks and the agent had overheard. Neal had paid for the comment once Peter had heard; and he had apologized afterwards but the Fuchs had only stared at him and walked away. He knew he had an enemy with that Agent. He had only been back reading when he was called to Hughes office.

"Caffrey, meet Jenkins. He's our new CI and like you has made a deal to work out the remainder of his sentence. As you can see he is also equipped with a tracking anklet. His desk will be next to yours. I want you to show him around and explain the rules to him as well as the consequences if he screws up…dismissed," Hughes said s both Jenkins and Fuchs looked on.

"Sir, is Caffrey the best one for the job…I don't want him to lead my man down the wrong path," he asked as he glared at Neal.

"He's the best one for the job; he has learned what will happen if he screws up in fact he is very knowledgeable with the consequences of his actions, aren't you Caffrey?"

"Yes, sir…if you will just follow me and we can get started," Neal said to Jenkins as he hurried from Hughes office.

It hadn't taken Neal long to show Jenkins around or to explain his duties and what was expected of him but he found it quite embarrassing to admit how he was disciplined when he disobeyed Peter and how Jenkins would most likely be reprimanded if he too misbehaved. "It really up to your handler how he handles your misbehavior…Peter is old school so he relies heavily in the manner that he was taught as a young boy," Neal explained as he sidestepped the actual manner.

It hadn't taken Jenkins long to figure it out, "He spanks you?" he shouted with disbelief.

"He takes his belt to me," corrected Neal with his face burning with embarrassment, "it is an allowed method for dealing with CI's," he added.

Jenkins smiled with a wolfish grin and said, "then I had better not misbehave," and walked deep in thought to his desk. He had heard of Caffrey and his solve rate when he had made his deal. In fact he was told that Caffrey was the best

CI the White Collar department had and implied that if he wanted to stay he would have to be just as good or he might be sent elsewhere even back to prison.

As soon as Agent Fuchs was handed a case needing his CI, Jenkins began his plan on getting rid of Neal. Fuchs was excited about the case and soon had his team plus Jenkins working hard on it. It was an art fraud case. It was fortunate that they even had it because if Burke had been there he would have naturally received it; another reason that Fuchs didn't like Neal. He blamed Neal for all of the cases his team received that were not to his liking on Burke and his team especially Neal and this time mace a comment within Neal's hearing about it.

"Now Hughes will see a real team in action; we have just been handed a premier case from the MET," Fuchs boasted making sure Neal hard every word. He so infuriated Neal that he replied with,

"We'll see; I wonder how long it will take them to find the manner of entry…something I would have no trouble in locating."

Jenkins smiled to himself…this would be the perfect time to leave something of Neal's at the museum for Fuchs to find and quickly noticed an ink pen on Neal's desk that he stole the next time Neal got up for something. He made sure he was wearing gloves before putting it in his pocket.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"CAFFREY! MY OFFICE NOW!" Roared Hughes as Neal entered the next morning.

Neal gave Jones and Diana a "what did I do" look and the shrugged their shoulders.

"You wanted me, sir?" Neal asked as he entered. He noticed that Agent Fuchs was there as well.

"Yes, Agent Fuchs found this while examining the break-in at the MET…it has your fingerprints all over it," Hughes accused as he held the object up.

"My pen…I've been looking…wait did you say it was at the MET?" Neal exclaimed as he interrupted himself.

"I did and your anklet puts you at June's for the night of the theft but it does place you at the MET the day after the break-in. What were you doing there then Caffrey?" ordered Hughes.

"I decided to have a look over…that's all," confessed Neal. "Peter got me an extra few blocks added to my radius for helping to close the Simpson case a few weeks ago…you remember sir?"

"I do, so instead of working on the cold cases Peter and I assigned you decided to investigate the MET case. You must have dropped the pen there," determined Hughes as Neal looked at the floor and nodded, "but I didn't drop the pen, sir."

"Go wait for me in interrogation room three," ordered Hughes as he waved Neal away.

As he as leaving Neal heard Hughes tell Fuchs that if he caught him at his crime scene to report him to him and he would take care of him personally. That didn't bode very well for his backside. Neal was waiting for Hughes as he entered a few minutes later carrying his leather strap.

"Well that didn't take long," Hughes remarked as he motioned for Neal to get up.

"I didn't drop my pen sir," insisted Neal, "it had to be planted there so I would be blamed."

"Stop lying Caffrey," ordered Hughes, "why would anyone steal your pen and plant it at a crime scene? Now bend over the table and hold on…this is going to sting," Hughes said sternly.

Neal reluctantly did as he was told; knowing that if he didn't the outcome would be worse. He was barely in place when the first lick found its mark…in the center of his buttocks causing him to yelp with pain. Hughes wanted to make an example and keep Caffrey from continuing so he gave him eleven more effectively reducing Neal to sobs after the first six.

"I had better not have to do this again Caffrey or the next time the licks will be doubled…now get back to work," Hughes ordered and left Neal to get his emotions back under control before returning to his desk and a long day of sitting on a sore backside.

After washing his face Neal gingerly walked back to his desk and worked on the cold case he was assigned squirming as he tried to find a comfortable position. He as only too glad to go to the nearby deli to pick up lunch for his team just as long as he didn't have to sit any longer.

While Neal was out Jenkins used the time to plant another one of Neal's belongings at the MET as he and Fuchs went back to interrogate the staff and like before it was discovered this time near the exit that they believed the thieves got in to begin with.

Neal was surprised the next morning to have Hughes waiting for him as soon as he got off the elevator and said at once, "Whatever happened I didn't do it!" but it didn't deter Hughes who grabbed him by the upper arm and escorted him to interrogation room three again. "Bend over the table!" he roared as Neal shook his head, and began to plea,

"But I didn't do anything…I spent the whole night at home. June was there and checked on me several times during the night."

"Did she also spend time with you during lunch yesterday…because that is when this was dropped," Hughes shouted as he held up a tie clip that Neal recognized as his.

"I don't know how it got there sir, but I didn't do it. I wouldn't be so careless to leave another item after being punished for a similar offense the day before," insisted Neal but he could tell that his arguments were not making an impression of Hughes.

"I guess you were; maybe as you bent down to check the exit for signs…now bend over…or I can get someone to help you if you insist on delaying this further," threatened Hughes.

After staring at Hughes a moment longer Neal did as he was told and soon presented his backside to Hughes for more punishment. And as he had promised the day before Hughes doubled the licks Neal had gotten the day reducing Neal to sobs by the time Hughes had finished.

"I'm warning you Caffrey the next time I find out that you have been snooping around at Fuchs crime scene again and you won't be sitting comfortable for weeks. You just keep that in mind before you do something stupid again!" he shouted before leaving Neal to nurse his hurts and get back to work.

Unbeknown to Hughes or Neal Jenkins had been listening at the door and when he heard the latest threat left to find set Neal up again.

When Neal returned to his desk he could barely sit and was in agony for the remainder of the day. The squirming in his chair didn't go unnoticed by anyone at work. He got sympathy glances from Diana and Jones but he was unmercifully teased by Fuchs.

"Oh, look," cried Fuchs as his eye caught Neal's and his present condition.

"Caffrey got his tail strapped by Hughes again…you aren't as smart as you think to be so careless twice in the row, are you boy?"

Neal only glared at him refusing to be drawn out in a shouting match that would most likely get him strapped again….he noticed Hughes on the second floor watching but refusing to call the teasing off…it was like he was waiting so he could add in the heat in his bottom.

Neal was so focused on not doing anything to incur Hughes wrath again that he didn't notice that Fuchs had drawn closer until he felt himself pulled from his chair or pushed over a nearby desk exposing his backside for further abuse.

"Crack…crack…crack…crack!" Fuchs had struck him with the ruler from his own desk…his backside was on fire. "That's for screwing around with my case," the agent said in glee.

Neal glared at him embarrassed at being so reprimanded in public and shot a look at Hughes but found that the senior agent had conveniently disappeared. He wiped the tears as they rolled down his face before bolting from the floor and eventually to the safety and quiet of the roof where he collected his thoughts and quieted his emotions. "Peter, I miss you," he said out loud, missing his handler greatly.

Peter wouldn't have punished him in anger like Hughes had and only after he was sure that Neal was guilty…Hughes had only learned about the tie clip belonging to Neal before punishing…not wondering why he would have been so careless in letting it drop. The fact that it could have been a plant didn't even occur to Hughes, thought Neal. He was quickly coming to the conclusion that if Peter didn't get back soon he would find him standing permanently for everything that is if he wasn't back in prison. It was with that air of despair that Neal found himself as he returned to his desk and the fluffy pillow placed in his chair.

"I thought that you might find sitting a little easier," remarked Jones casually as he returned to his case.

Neal smiled shyly before tenderly sitting down and while the pillow did ease the pain it didn't take it completely away; it only made it more bearable.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The next day Jenkins approached one of the underpaid employees at the MET with a deal. He would pay the young man in charge of cleaning the facilities five thousand dollars if he would only go and ask the head agent, Fuchs if he would rein in one of his agents; Caffrey was his name. That Caffrey had been insulting the staff by trying to pin the theft on one of them. Jenkins knew that when Fuchs was told this he would go ballistic on Caffrey. After this Jenkins was sure that Neal's reputation would be so tarnished that he would finish his sentience in prison.

As soon as Neal returned from lunch he was ordered to interrogation room number three and to make sure he appeared he would be escorted by two members of Fuchs team.

"Cuff him to the table," ordered Fuchs as he began to remove his belt and double it in his hand. "Hughes isn't here but I'm not going to wait for him to give you the hiding you deserve…he's had two tries at it and still you are trying to steal my case from me."

"No…I'm being framed. Whatever it is that I'm being blamed for I didn't do," cried Neal

"Look at you denying even before you learn what I have on you," gloated Fuchs, "you knows that you are guilty."

"What do you expect of me…why else am I here except to be punished and like the time before I am innocent. I admit I was at the MET snooping the first day but I didn't drop the pen there…it was stolen from my desk and planted at the MET so I would be punished. And he next day I was conveniently careless again since you found my tie clip there…so I had to be there as where….well, I wasn't. The first strapping convinced me to stay away…only I am still being accused and punished for things I'm not guilty of," shouted Neal.

"There is nothing you can say that will convince me that you are innocent of these charges Caffrey," replied Fuchs as he moved closer.

"What item of mine did you find at the scene this time?" Neal asked frantically trying to delay the obvious…his upcoming strapping.

"For your information Caffrey, it wasn't one of your belongings but a young man paid to clean the toilets…he told us how you disguised yourself as one of my agents to grill the staff trying to tie the theft on one of them," Fuchs said triumphantly.

"It wasn't me," Neal cried, "I'm innocent!"

"I'm going to give you just a strapping that you will remember this for the rest of your life," promised Fuchs just before ordering his men from the room. "I don't want any other them to be moved by your lies and try and stop me before I'm finished teaching you the lesson of your life," Fuchs added as he let the first lick fly catching Neal in the center of his buttocks.

Neal gasped at the strength of the first lick and the next five that followed and was hard pressed not to cry out. He didn't want to give Fuchs the satisfaction of making him cry. A thought that soon left his mind as Fuchs upped the strength he put behind his licks and at the tenth lick Neal was yelling loudly with each lick.

Fuchs paused after he had given Neal twenty-five licks. "You know I bet your cries would get louder if you were to lose the protection of your trousers and boxers," and suddenly Neal felt a cool breeze flow past his burning backside.

"N-No…p-please…don't-t," sobbed Neal even though he knew his pleas fell on uncaring ears.

Fuchs looked at the fiery backside in front of him and smiled. He laid his hand on Neal's bottom gauging the heat coming from it before stepping back and letting the belt fly once again. Neal yelled as the belt caught his already abused backside…and yelled again and again as the licks found the same area over and over again. Neal yelled so loudly that he soon began hoarse but the licks still fell at a steady rate until Fuchs had covered his backside from waist to upper thigh crisscrossing many times until finally finished and uncuffed the nearly unconscious Neal.

"Now leave my case alone…boy," he shouted as he left Neal standing still in the bent over position with his trousers and boxers at this ankles.

"Ever so slowly Neal bent over and pulled his boxers and trousers up and over his abused backside gasping and crying out in pain that simple act caused; he walked gasping with pain to the door and eventually to the men's restroom was still crying when Jones found fifteen minutes later.

"Neal….I've been looking for you…Neal?" he cried as he took in the scene in front of him. He approached the CI cautiously and made a decision. "I'm going to report that you got sick at work and will be going home. I'll explain everything to Peter and he will explain it to Hughes once he returns," he said as he took a wet paper towel and began to wipe Neal's face. It took a while but eventually he was able to freshened his face up and remove most of the signs of his crying but when he tried to help Neal walk towards the door he ran into another problem….he was too sore to walk without whimpering.

"Diana, meet me at the side entrance…he's hurt too bad to walk out past the desks…we are going to have to take him out the back entrance," he said after hanging up on her and returning to Neal.

Neal whimpered and yelped with each step he took but eventually Jones was able to get him past the majority of the agents without notice and the ones he couldn't he told them that Neal was ill and he was taking him home.

Diana had the car ready when Jones and Neal emerge from the back entrance and helped get him in the back seat where he could lie on his side. "You get back and grab his stuff; I'm taking him to Elizabeth's in case something else occurs that they want to blame on him she will act as a witness that he was with her at the time."

Jones nodded and headed back inside not realizing that Jenkins had once again stuck and this time had taken his hat to leave in Hughes' office for the major frame. He was going to hack into Hughes' computer and delete some vital information and leave Neal's fedora as to his guilt. It would be the final nail in his coffin.

Diana had called her to tell her what had been happening to Neal since Peter's been gone but when she was told of his latest strapping Elizabeth knew she had to do something. "Bring him here…he'll be safe with me," El had told Diana and had hurried to get his room ready. The guest room had long ago been replaced in their minds as Neal's and even now she had the sheets drawn back for his arrival.

While El was ready to receive the young man she was surprised by his condition when she saw the car park in front of their house and how Diana motioned for her help.

It only took one look for El to realize that he as in a bad way. What can I do?" she asked Diana who motioned for her to join her.

"We need to get him out of the back…his backside is too hurt for him to sit so this isn't going to be pretty," she warned as she suddenly leaned in and pulled. Neal yelled as his much abused backside made contact with the cushioned back seat but the ladies had no other recourse as to get him out.

"Come on baby," coached El as she added her weight in the pull and finally Neal was able to emerge from the backside…a sobbing and whimpering Neal that tore at her heartstrings.

"Reece did this?" she asked accusingly.

"No…Agent Fuchs did," spat out Diana as she grabbed Neal by his waist and with El on the other side managed to get young man inside the Burke home.

"Come on, while he's still standing let's get him to his room and into bed," cried El as they approached the staircase.

As soon as Neal raised his foot to take the first step he whimpered and tried to back away…it hurt so badly but the ladies persisted and were able to get him half ay up before he began to sob uncontrollably and El and Diana were forced to stop. "Oh, how I wish Peter was here," El said helplessly as she looked up the remainder of the stairs when she heard the front door open and a voice call out,

"Honey, why is there a company car parked out front," it was Peter and when he caught sight of Diana and finally Neal he came running to their aid.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"What's wrong…here let me help," he cried and took his wife's place and helped Neal back up the rest of the stairs and up to his room.

It was then that Neal caught sight of Peter and broke down, "I d-didn't d-do it…

i-it w-wasn't m-me…it wasn't m-me…y-you've g-got to b-believe me P-Peter, I-I was f-framed-d-d!"

"It will be okay, buddy…but for now let's get you to bed," and tried to sit him down when Diana cried out,

"Don't Peter…he can't sit…he's been strapped viciously," stopping him just in time.

Peter nodded and mouthed, "help me undress him so he can get some rest."

Diana nodded and while Peter held him Diana stripped him of his coat and shirt leaving him his undershirt but as she was about to remove his trousers Neal started to struggled thinking it was Fuchs coming back to beat him again.

"Nooooooo, p-please n-no m-more," until El was there talking in his ear and reassuring him that Fuchs wasn't there until Diana was able to complete her chore leaving him only his boxers where they noticed for the first time specks of blood.

"That bastard beat him until he was bleeding," cried out El shocking Peter with her language and the culprit who had done the beating.

"He wasn't punished by Hughes? Fuchs did this to him?" he asked Diana.

"The first two times it was Hughes but this last time Agent Fuchs took it upon himself to discipline Neal," she explained bitterly.

"Where was Hughes?" Peter asked as they finally got Neal into bed and quickly on his side.

"I think he had an appointment with the head of our department; anyhow he wasn't there and as soon as Neal arrived Fuchs had two of his men escort him straight away to interrogation room three.

El ever watchful realized that he was bleeding from the specks of blood on his boxers and said, "Peter he's bleeding…I'm going to get him a painkiller…I think we still have some from his last visit…" and was off returning moments later with the medicine and a glass of water.

"Neal, baby, I want you to take these…they will help ease the pain," she said soothingly before handing him two tablets. He obediently with the help of several swallows of water to down the two painkillers before lying back down on his side. It only took a few minutes for the painkillers to do their job and knock him out.

"You do realize what that's going to do to him when he wakes?" murmured Peter with a smile.

"Oh, yes and I don't care at least he's out of pain now…any how I like to hear him sing," replied El as she stooped down to kiss him on the forehead before moving on to the task at hand of treating his bottom from the abuse at Agent Fuchs' hand.

With El upstairs with Neal Peter s able to learn all that took place while he was a way as allowed Diana the time to fill him in.

"Diana I won't you to tell me all that you know about whatever happened with Neal…start at the beginning please," requested Peter as he waited anxiously.

Dian paused to get everything straight in her mind. "Well, I didn't notice him doing anything wrong; he did take an extra-long lunch break the day Agent Fuchs was handed the MET art theft case. We would have gotten it if you had been there boss," she added to Peter's amusement.

"It wasn't until the next morning that Hughes called Neal to his office and from my viewpoint Hughes was really mad at Neal and soon afterwards Neal left and headed back to the interrogations room. Hughes followed a few minutes later going in the same direction so we figured that Neal must have done something wrong and Hughes was going to punish him for it…and we were right because about thirty minutes later Neal reappeared and although he didn't say anything he was squirming for the rest of the day…a sure sign that he had been strapped."

"Oh, Neal what did you do this time," Peter muttered as he motioned for Diana to continue.

"The next morning as soon as Neal got off the elevator Hughes as there to greet him and hurried him off to the interrogation rooms again…and the squirming intensified to such an extent that Jones went and bought him a pillow to sit on but what I have learned was that Neal had snooped at Fuchs' crime scene and had been caught…or at least a personal item of Neal's had been found there and identified as his leading to him being punished…Hughes did both of those punishments. But today when Neal stepped off of the elevator two of Fuchs' agents were waiting and took him away…we assumed to the same interrogation room and when Neal didn't reappear thirty minutes later Jones went looking for him and found him in the men's restroom on that floor still sobbing and in obvious pain that we hatched this idea of getting him away to the safety of your house where El would watch him and be the witness that he might need if something else is laid at this door…she would vouch for him being with her and not at any crime…you being here is an added bonus," Diana finished her narrative.

"You don't know the reason Fuchs took it upon himself to beat Neal?" asked Peter as Diana shook her head.

"No, sir, but I'll call Jones and see if he's learned anything," pulling her cellphone out to make the call…she was only on the phone long enough to discover what Jones had found out.

"Boss, Neal is supposed to have returned to the MET and questioned several staff members using the disguise of one of Fuchs agents…obviously Fuchs took his anger out on Neal," she added dryly.

Peter nodded and then asked, "Diana would you mind staying here and acting as a shield for El and Neal; I'm going to have a talk with Hughes and try and straighten it all out. I know he didn't authorize Fuchs to discipline Neal so what he did could easily be called assault."

"Sure boss, I don't mind," she smiled, "I won't let anyone come near Neal or Elizabeth…they will be safe with me."

Peter's gut was starting to bother him long before the Diana's explanation was finished…he knew something was wrong…if Neal did this he wouldn't have been so careless as to leave personal items behind to incriminate him. He agreed with Neal he had been framed and Peter was going to get to the bottom of this now.

He was just about to walk out when Diana's cell buzzed and she answered only to turn to Peter and exclaimed, "Boss, someone has hacked into Hughes' computer and has deleted some vital information on a current case…Neal's fedora as found at the scene…he's being accused and Hughes is livid."

"When did this take place?" Peter asked as his gut churned.

"Within the last hour…but it couldn't have been Neal; he was here or on the way here with me," replied a puzzled Diana," and Neal's tracking anklet isn't working…Hughes figures that he's found another way to remove it."

"Ask if there are any other evidence linking Neal to that crime?"

A moment later Peter had his answer…

"Yes, our new CI reported seeing Neal near Hughes office about thirty minutes ago and when he checked a few minutes later he found the fedora perched on the edge of the desk," replied Diana after ending the call.

"New CI? When did he arrive?" asked Peter.

"A few hours after you left, boss; he was assigned to Fuchs. Hughes assigned Neal to show him around and explain the rules to him, etc. He was assigned the desk across from Neal's. His name is Thomas Jenkins," explained Diana.

"Diana I want you to check up on Thomas Jenkins; find out all you can about him; what he was incarcerated for…the whole nine yards. You can use my laptop…I left it on the end table as I entered. I'm going to check in with Hughes…but first I want to check on Neal," Peter said as he headed up the stairs.

"Honey, how is he?" he asked in a quiet voice upon entering the kid's room so not to wake him.

"He's got a fever Peter, probably due to that whipping he received but I've been fighting it with cool compresses and it is going down," replied El as she lovingly smoothed out Neal's hair.

"El, I'm going in to the office; it seems that another charge has been added to our boy…he's supposedly hacked into Hughes' computer an hour ago and they have even a witness to it. Most likely the witness is the true culprit to all Neal has been punished for.

"Find out why Peter; our boy has suffered so much while you have been away and I want to know why," insisted El.

"Don't worry El, I'll get to the truth and I am leaving Diana here to watch out for you and Neal…his tracking anklet isn't working and I want Diana here to make sure no agent trying to make a name for himself tries to take him away. She will protect you and Neal," Peter said as he kissed his wife goodbye.

It was while he was on his way downstairs that he heard raised voices and hurried down to find Diana blocking Agent Fuchs from coming in any further.

"Fuchs, you have some nerve…after what you did to Neal to show your face here" Peter said angrily.

"Burke…I thought you were in North Carolina," surprise clearly on the man's face.

"I was, but they reached an early verdict and I came back. What do you want Fuchs?" replied Peter angrily.

"Your boy screwed up Burke and I'm taking him in," replied the agent with a smug look on his face.

"After the beating you gave him he is barely able to function much less break into Hughes' computer…anyhow he isn't guilty. He's been here for the last hour with my wife and me and that is when they decided the break-in took place," replied Peter forcefully. "But if I were you I would check out your CI's story; he's the one who said that Neal was near Hughes' office and he's the one who found Neal's hat…it seems to me that he's got his facts wrong…or maybe he's the one behind the whole frame," taunted Peter.

Fuchs had nothing to say to that and left angrily. Peter turned to Diana and said "Thanks, I owe you one…did you find out anything about Jenkins?"

"Boss he was arrested for breaking in to high security systems…and he can hack into any computer. There isn't a tracking system that he can't break into or destroy…it is foolish to believe that he is reliable for change. He's a bigger flight risk than Neal," Diana exclaimed as Peter was on his cell requesting that Jenkins be held; that he was a suspect in an ongoing investigation.

"I've got to go…I'll check back when I learn something," promised Peter before leaving.

And Peter did check into things and when confronting Jenkins with the latest evidence that Neal had reliable witness to his whereabouts during the hacking charge, confessed to everything.

Jenkins was arrested for hacking into Hughes' computer as well as for framing Neal. He told them it was his way to keep out of prison by blackening Neal's reputation and sending him back instead. The confession would earn him a harsh strapping and the return to prison for his crime.

Agent Fuchs had been reprimanded for his assault on Neal. He will be demoted back to a field agent and to a new location. He's been assigned to the great state of Alabama for the next year. He would have to work his way back to where he had been before he had allowed his temper to rule his career.

"Caffrey, I want to apologize for not believing you and strapping you the second time. You were clearly innocent of that charge although I stand by my decision to punish you the first time…you shouldn't have been snooping in another case instead of the one you were assigned no matter how boring yours seemed,: Hughes said gruffly.

Neal was still recovering with the Burkes when Hughes had arrived to apologize for his part in Neal's pain.

"Sir, I think that Neal is due something for all of the pain he had to endure," suggested Peter, "maybe an extra mile could be added to his radius…then he could visit more of the museums, theaters and concerts of his choosing."

Hughes considered the request and with a twinkle in his eyes said, "I authorize it, but I had better not hear about any mischief from you because of my generosity."

"No sir…and thank you," replied Neal clearly moved by his generosity, "and don't worry you won't hear of any mischief of my doing."

"I know…Peter will and he will take care of it before it ever reaches my desk…oh and Peter he has one "get out of a strapping free" from me to make up for the one he got earlier to be used whenever he likes," Hughes added with a smile as he surveyed the young man smiling in return.

**The End**


End file.
